Category: Toys
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Hoothehell?

Or in polite terms, ” Who in their right mind…? “. It is a phrase that whispers to me every time I cruise the kit aisles of HobbyHell. The other part of the question is ” would ever buy this thing? “. The kits or parts or tools or toys in question are not forbidden…
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Matchbox Helldiver – Part Three – The Hubley Kit

If you are from North America you’ll recognise the name Hubley. They were a die-cast toy maker of the 40’s and 50’s who made larger size offerings. I owned a Hubley Bell telephone truck with working winch and pole trailer – surely an odd choice of prototype even for the times. I observed other kids…
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Grumman F8F Bearcat – Part Two – Monogrammar

That’s learning to speak the language of the 1980’s, and it’s sort of crude. Not nasty, but basic… The Monogram company was an object of my admiration in the 1950’s. I sought their kits in preference to others as they always seemed to be moulded with better fit and had operating features that rewarded the…
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Christmas Etiquette For Scale Modellers

A valuable guide to the holidays to ensure that you have the right spirit and none of it spills on the tablecloth. a. If you are given a model, it is The Right Model. You may have built eight ME 109’s already and the kit that you have received is an Airfix Me 109… You…
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Ooh! We’ll Build THAT One…

Aaaaaand We’re there! We’ve succeeded in the most difficult part of scale modelling – deciding which model to make. The question and decision may have been asked and made in several ways: There is a picture of a ship, plane, or tank that we’ve seen on the net…or in a book…that just calls to us.…
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Next!

This post may anger some people. It is predicated upon bourgeoise riches and wretched excess. The proletariat has likely been trodden under the iron heel of capitalism and no mercy has been shown to the victims. I have a stash. A stash of 1:72 model kits, I hasten to add – and the thing grows…
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Old Moulders Never Die…

They just flash away… I have been engaged in dealing with plastic model kits that made from old moulds. In one case I suspected the thing was new on the market when I was in Grade 10 and had been offered in various guises ever since. The kit was fun to build, but I am…
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Grim Reality Vs Grim Fantasy

I am often puzzled at the selection of model kits on the shelves of my local hobby dealers. They’re good dealers and I love them dearly – just as I love the dealers in the eastern states when I visit them. Every one is different but they all have a certain feel to them that…
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Good Morning, Walter – Part 14 – None Of These Toys Work…

Walter, here’s a selection of pictures from a recent Toy and Doll Collector’s fair here in Perth. I went to my regular exhibition hall on the day to see if there were going to be any scale model airplane kits that I wanted to buy. Short answer – no. That’s not the sort of thing…
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Good Morning Walter – Part Eleven – Playing Shops

Walter, if you’re anything like me, you enjoy going to the shops. Sometimes it may seem a little boring to go to department stores with your Mum to buy things like drapes or towels ( and in the 50’s all department stores were painted beige and they were deserts of boredom…) but if you endure…
